Boat owners given earlier deadline to comply with safety rules

ALL passenger boats must have a licence from January 1, Marine Minister Dermot Ahern announced yesterday.

It was originally intended to bring the new regulations into force on June 6, 2003.

The minister’s decision to speed up the safety measures comes in the wake of the boating tragedy off the Co Wexford coast on July 28 when five anglers drowned and five of their colleagues were saved.